MadHouse
by swastini
Summary: Sent to a mental facility after coming close to murdering his cousin in his sleep, Hyuga Neji is about to discover things about a past he never knew. Reviews are appreciated. NejiTen AU. Rating change for Chapter 12 - language won't get better, folks.
1. Prologue: Dream

Prologue: Dream

_He can feel it._

_There is anger pulsing through his veins and he feels it; wrenching his heart into tiny little pieces as he hits her over and over again. Her white eyes are shimmering with unshed tears and he loves it and hates it and watches as she stands up once more to fight. The blonde shouts from the stands and she listens because he's all that keeps her going, and slowly the anger grows and grows until he's boiling…_

_He goes in for the kill._

Somewhere around this time, Hyuga Neji awakens to find himself pointing a knife at his cousin.

It takes only but a second for Hiashi to realize this time his nephew has gone too far. The boy sits beside him, head bowed as the elders discuss franticly of what is to be done. He has brought nothing but pride and glory to this family, some argue, and Neji visibly brightens up. But his dreams are nothing short of disturbing, others debate, and the rest of the clan cannot help but agree. Dreams of blood and fire, death and disease; this isn't the first time the boy has strayed from bed, having being found twice hugging his father's grave with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"The decision is yours to make, Hiashi-sama." the elder on his left says. Neji looks for assistance from his uncle, the man having cared for him since his parents' tragic death. Hiashi sighs, long and hard; he won't be able to help this time.

"Action must, and will, be taken." Everyone in the room murmurs in approval. "Your bags will be packed, Neji."

The boy mentioned proceeds to stand up, take a long deep bow, and run up the stairs.


	2. 1: Banishment

1: Banishment

At four in the morning, Hyuga Neji awakens to find his entire room empty, apart from the bed he was sleeping on a mere five minutes ago. Clothes folded neatly have been placed carefully on the floor, while a suitcase full of important and personal items lies next to it. As usual, there is not a single speck of dirt to be found; at least, Neji laments, I shall be remembered as a neat and tidy person, albeit a crazy one. The boy sighs as he a pops a pill from a bottle of sleep-inducing drugs and quickly falls into dreamless slumber.

This time, it is his alarm clock that pulls, or more rather drags him back into the real world; the Hyuga mansion is silent as Neji creeps down stairs after a cold and delightfully refreshing shower. As expected, a car is already outside the front gates, waiting to spirit him away from a life (though he will never admit) he is accustomed to. No, the teenager thinks, no. Enjoy living here as long as you can. No need to worry about what has yet to come. Or will come.

"H-how is t-the f-food today, N-N-Neji-nii san?"

He might have disliked her irrational stuttering before, but it is nothing to the anger and repulsion he feels for it now. Hinata, naturally observant as all Hyuga are, realises this and decides to sit three seats away from her cousin rather than the usual two. This does not go unnoticed.

"Frightened of me, are you?"

"N-no! I-I just…"

"Do you not think I am a lunatic like everyone in this stupid family does?" Neji hisses in contempt, and Hinata instinctively moves away. A thin but strong arm grabs her wrist; she winces as the grip tightens.

"Do you think I would try to kill you **_again_**, Hinata-sama?"

He is purring softly now, hoping to convince her – to convince himself – that he is not as crazy as he seems. His quiet voice is almost calming, almost soothing, and for that second she just wants to believe him... A clear, sharp voice resonates around the room calling for the pale-eyed youth and Neji lets go of her hand. She watches as he walks away to seal his fate, as her bruises slowly turn a purplish-blue.

The car darts through the roads of Kawasaki, eventually crossing the boundaries to Tokyo, and soon enough Neji is standing in front The Mental Facility for Children, a large building that he cannot help but scoff at. This is where I am to live? Again he stares distastefully at the pile of concrete they call a hospital. It looks like my old school, he comprehends with slight relief: it is nice to see something familiar in this unrecognizable metropolis. The relief dissipates as Hyuga Hiashi steps out of the car, adorned in a crisp, white suit. His nephew is glaring at him, he notices, and suddenly he can see the resemblance between the boy and himself. Guilt begins to grow in the bottom of his belly. Hiashi groans inwardly; staying here any longer will mean stowing Neji into the trunk of his car and raising him secretly in his closet. Just like Hizashi and I raised that tarantula in our cupboard, he recalls, the memory suddenly returning to him. The maid who was assigned to clean out their room that day had run out of the house screaming.

"You are laughing." His uncle almost forgetting that he exists does nothing to dampen Neji's annoyance; he gives the man a sour frown. "My life is ruined and all you can do is laugh?"

The tense conversation is soon interrupted by a busty woman, presumably the head doctor judging by the long, billowing coat she is wearing, and a petite girl, with the most unusual pink hair. Both glance at the Hyuga males, before the woman speaks.

"Is this the patient?" Her blonde hair bounces up and down as she jerks her head towards the sulky boy.

"Yes, he is. I assume you will take good care of him?"

"Sure! Neji's going to love it here!" She calls for the younger girl, her voice sounding every bit like a well-respected leader. "Sakura! Bring him in!"

Sakura, or 'Pinky' as Neji has unofficially dubbed her, motions him towards the door, and Neji obediently follows. It is one step before he pulls the door open that he realizes he is about to leave everything he knows behind, he stops for half a second before entering. Next to him, Pinky smiles as she spreads her arm outwards, showing him his new 'home'.

"Welcome, Hyuga Neji."


	3. 2: Arrival

2: Arrival

Is he mute?

Maybe not.

Maybe just socially challenged.

Like Sasuke-kun.

Just like Sasuke-kun.

A thousand questions run through Haruno Sakura's mind as she walks next to the quiet boy. Who is he? Hadn't Tsunade-san said 'Hyuga'? Sounds rich, she ponders, picking up her pace as he briskly overtakes her, as if trying to avoid her somehow. Even further in front of them, her mentor and boss strolls casually down the empty hallways, still managing to keep a large distance between herself and the two adolescents. That is, until she stops in her tracks, eyes wide with fear. Her apprentice bounds towards her, suddenly frantic. She's in front of Room 1215, and that means… A discarded straightjacket lies on the floor.

This is horrible. First they send me to this dump because they think I am insane. Then Pinky leaves me here because some schizophrenic madman has escaped and probably gone on a killing spree.

Neji stands, unmoving, in the same spot that Pinky told him to stand half an hour ago, and believes that nothing can go more wrong with the first day of his elongated stay. So engrossed in hating this new life of his is he that he doesn't notice the blonde boy with red eyes crouching behind him. He turns, and the blonde pounces. Curved fingers claw at his face and suddenly he is transformed into the prey of a ferocious murderer. Blood splatters on the walls as a pair of razor sharp incisors cut into his flesh. He stares into his attacker's crimson orbs; is it the blood loss or can he see tints of blue innocence there?

"Don't move an inch."

An angel. He can hear an angel. He really must be dead now. Twisting his head so he can get a better look at her, the angel's voice rings through his ears again, this time with anger and worry.

"I said don't move, idiot! Just stay there!"

He complies.

"Great. Now stay…stay… I got'cha, Foxy."

A pressurized dart filled with a paralyzing antidote whizzes past his ear, and sears through the other boy's skin. He can hear Pinky shouting commands he doesn't understand, and the angel stares at him with a pair of familiar brown eyes. Then, darkness.

For the third time in a day, Neji wakes up, only this time in a room that smells like disinfectant and illness. A hospital, he assumes, and quickly sees he is not alone: Pinky looms over him for a minute before seating herself in a chair next to his bed. Both say nothing for a few minutes, before Pinky clears her throat and begins to speak.

"His name is Naruto."

Sakura carefully observes the patient, waiting for a reaction. A dark brow is raised, but nothing more. She guesses it is safe to continue.

"He's a really nice guy, and the same age as me. But sometimes he loses control; he has a dual personality like I told you, and his eyes go red and he goes around hurting people. The dart's knocked him out, he'll be awake and back to normal in an hour or two, but we don't know when the Kitsune will strike again, so you better not go near him for awhile. We're really sorry for letting this happen on your first day!"

She stops for a second to take a breath, glancing at the bed-ridden boy to see whether he has listened to a word she had said. By the faraway look in his eyes, she is quite sure he hasn't. He surprises her with a question.

"Y…you called him K…Kitsune…W…why?" His voice is hoarse and sore, as though he hasn't talked for a long time, but still haughty and arrogant.

"He acts very much like a fox when he's like that. Hunting for food, stealing things… It's all very strange, but mostly it's because he came to us with a collar around his neck that said 'Kyuubi no Youko' on it."

The startled look on the Hyuga's face shatters a carefully composed mask.

"K…Kyuubi no Youko? The l…legendary Bijuu?"

"Like I said, very strange. But when you live in a madhouse like this, what do you expect?" Neji stares at her for a minute, before shaking his head. A dry chuckle escapes his lips. Yes; what do you expect, living in a madhouse? The girl proceeds to stand up and exit the room, but not before turning her head toward her new companion.

"However, I advise you to refrain from speaking for a while. Kitsune was aiming for your jugular," She points at the boy (who has turned even paler, if possible, and slightly green)'s bandaged neck, a small smirk adorning her face. "I do hope you're happy he missed." The door slams shut as Sakura waltzes outside, shaking with mirth.


	4. 3: Colleagues

3: Colleagues

Once upon a time, there is a girl and boy. The girl has a beautiful face and pretty long hair that flows down her back. The boy is the handsomest boy in the land and the smartest, coolest, and bravest too. He doesn't spend his lonely nights locked up in solitude. He doesn't think that his brother is a mass murderer. He doesn't not love Haruno Saku –

"Day dreaming again, are you?"

A small groan is heard as Sakura reluctantly returns to reality. Her occasional best friend and full time rival looks her in the eye, before stating the obvious.

"Sasuke again, right?"

"What do you think?"

Ino exhales sharply in frustration; infatuation is one thing, total and complete obsession is an other. This person, this Uchiha Sasuke, had not infiltrated any conversation between the two girls for the past month. Why the sudden reoccurrence now? Sakura, being as smart as she claims to be, answers her unspoken question.

"There's a new kid. They're so alike!"

"New kid? You mean Hyuga Neji, yes?"

The blonde skims through folders in an unorganized drawer of patient profiles before landing on the right one. A picture of a white eyed boy has been hastily stuffed into the folder and the Yamanaka girl studies it carefully, soon turning to the profile and reading it as well. Finally she tucks photograph back into the folder, placing the folder back into the drawer before fixing the other girl with an incredulous stare.

"Alike? What the hell do you mean by alike?"

"Well… the way they act is sort of the same…"

"Sakura! He has white eyes! Not onyx or even remotely dark! What in God's name could have ever possessed you to think he's even a bit like Sasuke?"

"Oh I don't know Ino! How am I supposed to?"

"Well for starters, you could stop fantasizing about that stupid Uchiha and get on with this pathetic thing you call a life!"

Silence. Her anger fades away as tears begin to roll down her colleague's cheeks. Did that last comment cut too deep? Suddenly she is down on her knees comforting the sobbing girl, a purple handkerchief wiping her eyes dry, only to have her cry even more. They sit there for a few minutes, one in the other's arms, before both girls stand, dust down their skirts and put on wide smiles.

"You know Forehead; this Hyuga Neji really does deserve punishment after how he reminded you of Sasuke-kun."

Ino voice is sweet, syrupy, yet somehow filled with anger for a boy she hasn't even met. Sakura's voice is thick after the crying, but still genuinely mischievous.

"We should shouldn't we?"

"I say we give him Gai and Lee. Nothing in this world's worst than Gai and Lee."

"I do agree, though Lee-kun can be cute at times."

Ino makes a face, and Sakura smiles, deciding to voice her suggestion.

"I also think we should put him with Tenten."

"Bun girl? Why?"

"Well, for one thing she saved his life with her impossibly good aim, and when he was on the floor he kept calling her his 'angel'."

Ino eyes widen, and Sakura smiles again. It is so easy to make her happy, she reasons, and giggles softly as Ino-Pig gushes in excitement, spouting various questions at incredible speeds. Soon all worries are forgotten, along with unrequited love, and both girls chatter about how those two will look 'so cute together!', transported back into days when nothing else mattered.

Once upon a time, there is a girl and a boy. The girl is average looking, with short pink hair and an abnormally large forehead. The boy is quiet, cold, unresponsive, and possibly, a little insane. The girl loves the boy. The boy hates the girl, or at the very least doesn't love her back. She cannot bring herself to care less.


	5. 4: Introductions

4: Introductions

"_Kaiten!"_

_A swirling rush of chakra engulfs his body, bouncing back countless kunai and shuriken hurling towards him. As the number of weapons lessens, so does his chakra flow, both eventually coming to an abrupt stop. He stands in a shallow crater, his back facing her as she supports her weight on her knees, panting softly. Her eyes travel every inch of his body, and he watches her from behind, Byakugan bulging after a long afternoon of training._

"_Not a scratch on you as usual."_

And he's awake.

Today he exits his room even moodier than usual; the dreams, instead of diminishing like they are supposed to, have become even worse, if not more vivid. The night before was filled with a beautiful brunette with razor aim, deadly skill, and the most gorgeous brown eyes. Neji resists the urge to pound his head against a wall, when a pair of talking plants jump out from behind a corner. Two days in the asylum and already more insane. Perfect. He grits his teeth in aggravation as the plants introducing themselves as Gai and Lee.

Perhaps an introduction on the hospital's 'buddy system' will come useful. An idea imagined by the head psychiatrist, Tsunade, the buddy system was, in theory, an effective method to help patients on the path to mental recovery. A counselor and a younger helper were assigned to patients for the whole of their stay, a period which often consisted of months, or even years. Her first and probably worst act, however, had been to hire Maito Gai and his youthful assistant, Rock Lee as the first participants of the system. Legendary amongst the shrink community for driving occupants of different hospitals even madder than they already were, the two men delighted in dressing completely in green, wearing their hair in a ridiculous bowl cut style, and screaming phrases like 'youth' at the most unlikely of times.

Today is no exception.

"With us around Neji-kun, you're stay here will be most youthful!" Maito Gai's booming voice makes his ears drums ring as they enter the cafeteria, while Rock Lee holds the door open, his smile white and gleaming.

"Oh yes, Neji-kun! Gai-sensei is right!" Neji winces at the casual use of the –kun suffix at the end of his name, when something even more terrifying happens. They're hugging. They're hugging. My psyche will never be the same.

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

Suddenly the air is sliced as a butter knife soars through the air, imbedding itself half a millimeter away from Gai's head. The room is quiet, before everyone picks up the knives and forks, and starts eating again. Meanwhile, three men stand beside the swinging doors, two nervous after a near death experience and another bewildered, yet all staring at the girl sitting at the nearest table, arm still stretched after the throw. And then…

"Damn. Can you believe I missed?"

Everything else happens in a second; Pinky and someone Neji suspects as a friend (Blondie would be perfect for the name) rush over to the girl and grab her by the arms, tugging her past him, while mumbling softly about 'the third time this week' and 'Tsunade-san's going to be so pissed!'. His thoughts are, however, not on those two girls, but more rather on the one they are dragging: her eyes burning with mild intolerance, slight anger, and…adoration? Then they're gone, rushing down the hallways to report to their senior, leaving a very confused Hyuga in the cafeteria.

"Gonna eat, white eyes?"

Neji acknowledges the existence of everyone else in the room.

"No, seriously! 'Cause if you aren't you should leave, dattebayou!"

He turns around slowly, blocking out the now crying – and unfortunately still hugging – plants, and faces four boys, each of them approximately the same age. The one furthest to the left, Neji notices, looks the strangest, with a fishy, pale green stare and deep, dark shadows surrounding them. At the table next to him, are two boys, one with dark eyes and hair; the other with red slashes across his cheeks, probably self-inflicted. And lastly, sitting alone at a table in the back of the room, sits a boy in an orange straightjacket with a cerulean blue gaze. His hands fly up to his neck, unconsciously rubbing the Kitsune's bite as the seemingly guiltless boy yells at him, trying to get his attention.

"For the love of all things holy, shut up Naruto!"

"Shut up Kiba!"

"Screw you, loser."

"Shut up Sasuke-teme!"

"…"

"Shut up Gaara!"

"He didn't say anything."

"Shut up, new kid!"

And he belongs.

"_I'm gonna beat you!" A sun-kissed hand drips blood, and they stare each other down. _

"_Dream on, drop out."_

"_Shut it!"_

The clock shows 12:07 p.m.


	6. 5: Punishment

5: Punishment

Skrith.

Skrith.

Skrith.

Skri –

"Stop."

Hesitantly, Tenten places the butter knife on the table, revealing a half-finished carving out of wood. Tsunade and the other girls watch as she carelessly runs her finger along the sharp point, back and forth, until Sakura breaks the silence.

"Do you actually like scaring the crap out of them, or are you just sadistic?"

The result is instantaneous; the whole room fills with laughter. Ino wipes an imaginary tear of happiness away, chuckling softly beneath her breath.

"You ask me that every time and I know you know the answer."

Tenten's voice is reproachful; she stands up, ready to leave. A strong tug, however, forces her down and her behind hits the wooden chair with a soft thud. The laughter begins again as her eyes squint into a glare.

"What the hell was that for?" She rubs her sore backside and the atmosphere turns serious.

"This conversation isn't just about the greenies." Her eyes widen as she realises where the topic is turning and attempts to escape again, but two pairs of arms hold her down. "You need a new partner."

"No."

"It isn't your decision, Tenten."

"I'll just chase him away like last time."

Tsunade rubs her temples, reminiscing. Pairing Tenten and the quiet Aburame Shino for the buddy system had been a terrible decision. Coupled with those idiots Gai and his mini-clone Lee, the results were catastrophic. Tenten hated boys, Shino hated everyone, and the two loonies weren't capable of hating at all. Tenten put cockroaches in Shino's bed (Aburame suffered from severe entomophobia, so severe that he tried to strangle his younger sister for drawing him a butterfly) and cut up every single piece of spandex in both counselor and helper's wardrobe; Shino in turn threw every weapon in Tenten's self acclaimed 'armory' (Tenten's love for anything with a sharp edge or could kill had led the caretakers at her orphanage to believe she was suicidal) out a window and replaced the patented toothpaste that kept Gai and Lee's teeth annoyingly shiny with whipped cream. The nurses had almost been driven mad themselves with  
the roars of anger and sobs of despair that could be regularly heard from Room 1010. Practically everyone was happy when the boy left after twenty-two sessions with specialist Yuhi Kurenai.

"Tenten, you may be the only girl here, and my favorite next to Naruto, but that does not means you can be excluded from this system." The girl mentioned snorts in disgust and turns away from the doctor. "A partner will be found for you today whether you like it or not!"

Both are standing now, past the point of formalities.

"No!"

"It. Is. Not. Up. To. You, damnit!"

Each word is enunciated clearly as she slams her hand on the table for effect. A feral growl escapes Tenten's throat.

"May we make a suggestion Tsunade-san?"

Doctor and patient turn to face the other people in the room. Sakura's smile is wide with hidden deviousness while Ino's eyes are up to the brim with anticipation. Tenten reluctantly sits down – the cherry blossom and pig were hell if they wanted to be – and Tsunade folds her arms, indicating them to continue.

"Well, you see, the new kid, you know that Naji, or Nuji or whatever, would make a great partner for Ten-chan, because he's a gentleman, comes from one of the oldest clans in Kawasaki, and is uber-hot! Better than retard Naruto, emo Sasuke, or anyone else! Genius, I swear!"

The blonde finishes her monologue, and her friend sighs.

"What piggy here is trying to say is that Neji is the best choice for a partner."

"Why? Why him, Haruno?" Tsunade sounds curious as she watches Tenten's complexion change from red with anger, to white with fear, to pink with embarrassment.

"Oh, we just know these things, Tsunade-san." Yamanaka's voice is confident. "We just do."

The woman turns to Tenten, still delightfully pink, Sakura and Ino, who she is certain, are mentally rejoicing over then apparent success and claps in agreement.

"Fine. She's with Neji."

Tenten turns pinker.


	7. 6: Friendships

7: Friendships

Why does he keep looking at me?

Neji glances at the nearby table; to his displeasure he locks eyes with a certain raven haired Uchiha. Noticing his discomfort, Kiba pats him on the back, the force of the hit reeling him forward and onto the floor. The offender laughs gustily, and Neji glares, rubbing the half-formed bump on his head.

"What the matter, Hyuga?"

He turns to Naruto, the latter somehow having managed to eat three bowls of instant miso ramen without using his hands and starting on his fourth, and voices his discomfort.

"That boy." Cautiously, he motions towards the Uchiha's table. "He…is…looking."

Naruto nods in understanding.

"Ahh, Sasuke-teme's just like that. He doesn't trust people easily, something to do with his brother sending him to this place."

The blonde is embarrassingly loud, and Neji glances at the boy just make sure he hasn't heard their conversation. His eyes are glazed over, uncaring and uninterested; Naruto deems it safe to continue.

"But, you know, that's him. Once he thinks you're a friend he won't leave you alone."

Neji cocks an eyebrow and gazes over to the other side of the room, where the last boy of their little quintet is sitting. His eyes scrunch up as he tries to remember the red head's name: Gaara was it? Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Teal eyes study him intently, calculating, before the loner picks up his tray of tamago sushi, Caesar salad and udon. Kiba's jaw actually drops when he shuffles over and claims a seat beside Naruto. The other boy keeps slurping on his ramen, not particularly fazed by the abrupt social interaction.

"He is looking at you, is he not?" Gaara's voice is smooth, silky, and formal. Neji nods, noting the tattoo hidden behind blood red hair.

"You can talk! I always thought you were mute, man!"

Half chewed noodles and soup fly out of the Kitsune's mouth, his laughter earsplitting. This does not go unnoticed, as Sasuke – if that was he was called – pulls his chair over and punches Naruto in the face. Now it Kiba's turn to laugh; Neji and Gaara sit quietly, each not willing to be involved with the commotion.

"What the hell was that for, teme?"

"You wouldn't shut up. I was doing those guys a favor."

A smirk appears across his face as he faces the Hyuga.

"Have you heard of Uchiha, Neji?"

Neji closes his eyes, trying to remember whether he had ever heard of the name before they were introduced (Gai cheerfully named every other patient in his age group before skipping off to pick flowers or something else stupid) and shakes his head when nothing comes up. Sasuke's smirk turns into a snarl.

"Of course not. How could a common fool like you ever dream to know a proud and noble family such as ourselves?"

All four boys have different reactions to this statement: Kiba raises an eyebrow, shrugs it off and continues to eat; Gaara rolls his eyes and looks away; Naruto mumble a silent 'Yeah right!' but nothing more; Neji grabs the insulter by the shoulders and wrestles him to the ground.

"Bastard!"

"Simpleton!"

"Asshole!"

"Commoner!"

"Ill mannered brat!"

"Uncivilized brut!"

The fight continues for a few minutes before both boys are forcefully pulled apart by Naruto and Kiba, Gaara still rolling his eyes at their tomfoolery. Soon all seated once more, back to square one, with Sasuke staring at Neji and Neji staring back.

"Geez, you guys are weirdos."

After having saying this, Kiba scoops a spoon of his chicken rice and promptly dumps it on the floor.

"What?"

Neji watches as the boy scoops yet another spoon and deposits it onto the ground. The other three sit, indifferent. The newcomer splutters with disbelief, and manages to voice a question.

"He just… the rice… on the… huh?"

Kiba's hand moves up and down, as if patting thin air.

"Good boy! Good boy, Akamaru!"

Composed as usual, Gaara addresses Neji's confusion.

"You know we are all crazy. It is time you discover what we here for."


	8. 7: Insanity

7: Insanity

"Loveless, we are. Absolutely loveless."

Sakura's forehead collides with the table several times before her friend decides to stop her, grabbing pink locks and pulling them upwards.

"On the contrary, my dear forehead, not all of us pine after Uchiha Sasuke. I, for instance, have more boyfriends than you could ever bother to count. "

_Of course you do. You always do. I mean, why not? Look at us! We're flatter than a piece of cardboard and wider than one too!_ The voice in her head is much louder today, screaming all her insecurities and fury of the world at herself, and soon she cannot take it any more.

"Will you just shut it!"

Ino stares at her with a very strange expression before stating her concern over Sakura's mental health, how living with crazy people does affect the weak-willed, and 'Rock Lee is rubbing of you."

Silence.

"You bitch!"

And the war begins.

Somewhere else in the building, Hyuga Neji sits as he contemplates an incredible strange situation. A cold brush on the shoulder signals that Gaara is ready to begin his explanation. He nods at the redhead, who takes a deep breath and talks.

"As far as you can see, we have all been categorized according to our danger level. The less dangerous the patient, the faster they are allowed to leave."

Gaara's eyes narrow until all Neji can see are dark bruises.

"In any case, Naruto and I are probably never leaving."

"Very frankly, I do not care."

White bores into green.

"How about me?"

"You are in the middle. Neither up nor down. The only people you are most likely to harm are your family and friends. Nothing too important in the eyes of the community."

Another voice adds to the conversation as Gaara finishes.

"You are _nothing_ like us. Nothing."

The Kitsune, Neji realizes, has returned, and suddenly he is fighting the horrible urge to run for his life. Memories of a killer, crimson staining the floor…… His hand reaches up to his neck again, stroking the scar in well-concealed panic. Sasuke notices and scoffs.

"Coward. Get a hold of yourself and calm down. Be glad you haven't seen the Sandman in bloodlust yet."

Neji turns just in time to see Gaara hiss over the familiar nickname; the latter continues his explanation.

"As Uchiha says, I, like Naruto, am dangerous to everyone around and extremely prone to violence and acts of sadism. Unlike the idiot, however – "

"Hey!"

" – I am like this all the time."

It is with this statement Neji understands that he is in risk of being butchered and left to fester by two very insane teenagers; it takes a half hour for Gaara to point out all details of his tragic life story. It started, he had said, with his abusing father and bullying siblings, who tortured him with cruel pleasure for the death of his mother after his birth. Over the years he became increasingly psychotic, eventually killing his father by stabbing him in the chest, before shredding him into little pieces by squeezing him into a washing machine and burying the various body pieces in their playground's sandbox.

"The look on the other children's faces was almost worth it."

Neji moves his chair an inch away from the Sandman.

"But now enough about murder. Let us move on to the Uchiha."

And so more bonding is established when Gaara carefully elaborates on Sasuke's unnaturally humorous situation.

"He tried to kill his brother, Itachi. Maybe you have heard of him?"

A quiet yes. Hiashi-sama was always talking about the young genius's rise to fame after he took over his father's police force. The Sharingan Corps were legendary.

"He slaughtered Mom and Dad! Could there be a better reason to slice his stupid head off?"

Sasuke is standing now, anger and betrayal evident in his face.

"Hallucinations. Your accusations are nothing more than a product of your idiocy. Itachi was, or more rather still is, the best brother any child could have."

Gaara's voice is flowing with jealousy, and Naruto quickly breaks the two apart.

"Alright guys! No need to start a fight over this Hitachi person. While you've been arguing you forget to mention the most important part of our little family."

"Of course. How foolish of me."

A smirk appears on each face in the room except Neji's.

"And I'm sure you know Tenten?"

"Someone's calling?"

The door opens and a girl walks in.


	9. 8: Kisses

8: Kisses

Neji remembers, somewhere lost in memories of business parties and partners, his first encounter of the Shiranui kind, how alcohol affects the human mind, and pick-up lines. It is Genma, eldest son and heir of his family's toothpick fortune – there is one in his mouth at all times – who is drunk when he pecks family doctor Shizune on the cheek and asks her whether it hurt when she fell from heaven. Her answer is, in his and everyone else's opinion, a rather violent one (though you couldn't blame her, for she was intoxicated as well); Neji witnesses a drop-kick executed perfectly on the groin at the tender age of six. When Hizashi, back then still alive, ambles over to ask what the matter was, his son's response is a firm one.

"Father, I shall never marry."

"Why ever not, Neji?"

He points at the writhing form of Shiranui Genma on the floor.

Of course, that is more than a decade ago, back then Tenten's lithe, slim body wasn't slinking down towards him; Neji finds it hard to breathe, let alone think about petty things like toothpick man and his agonies. She sits beside him, folding her wings and opening her bow lips, perfect for kisses. Her eyes are so beautiful, her voice so captivating, an angel……

"And so the orphanage sent me here – "

Why has she stopped? The angel has stopped singing, and Neji franticly wipes a dribble of saliva threatening to trickle out his mouth. Tenten continues, no less impassioned.

"Because they thought I was going to kill myself! Stupid of what? My babies would never hurt me!"

She strokes her newly carved wooden kunai-knife, caressing it as a mother would with a child; Neji looks away, almost turning his back to her as he tries to regain whatever dignity he has left. How can she do this to him? They have only met twice after all! He barely knows her name! A little voice in his head says otherwise: _she does this because she fascinates you, like she did before; she is your most loyal companion and she follows you always; she is called Tenten, double heaven, a perfect angel_. Neji shakes his head a few times to clear unwanted thoughts.

The new kid is shaking his head. What in the world? Acting like a dog is Kiba forte, and cannot be easily imitated. Tenten, as she herself knows, may not understand much about boys, but Hyuga Neji completely confuses her. First he drools at me, and then acts like a sissy stuck up pansy ass just 'cause he can? Jerk. Hearing Inuzuka animatedly describing his 'best friend' Akamaru always makes her smile though, the dog might be imaginary, but Kiba makes it sound like it's actually in the room; Tenten actually growls when she sees Neji discard the idea with a wave of the hand and an arrogant sneer. Acting like he's better than everyone doesn't put him one her friends list and she wonders how the seven hells Sakura and Ino could have ever thought they would make a good match. She is suddenly greeted with a white gaze; how were his eyes white in the first place? Was that even possible?

"They tell me we are partners. Your company will be – "

He stops for a second, thinking of what to say.

"Extremely beneficial to a speedy mental recovery."

Gai and Lee. There is no surprise the poor boy is half-mad already. She understands better than anyone, having being stuck the greenies (her personal, private nicknames for them, though there are stories of a new kid who called Gai a plant to his face before, resulting in tears and cardboard sunset scenes) ever since her first day.

"Your eyes. Why are they white?"

The second the sentence escapes, her hands fly to her mouth; Neji can see she regrets asking. His answer is automatic and ritualistic. This isn't the first time he's been asked, and he is used to it.

"Hereditary. Somewhere along the line of our clan's history we acquired these eyes for special fighting purposes, though the secrets of this technique are all but lost to us now."

"Fighting?"

Her voice lilts at the end like a question, though he can hear traces of sarcasm in the word. She seems interested enough for Neji explain further.

"The Hyuga was once a revered _shinobi_ clan. Our _doujutsu_, named _Byukugan_ in the ancient scrolls, was famous country-wide."

There's a look in Tenten's eyes that he just can't seem to place.

"Oh, my youthful students!"

The spandex wearer's voice surpasses any other sound in the room, although that is be expected by his protégé and unwilling patients. Having entered the small room with a very – in his own words – 'dynamic' method, Neji sports a bleeding nose and a shoe-mark around his eye as Gai places the DVD into the player. The screen buzzes to life in a flash of light.

"My poor students, I am sure you are deprived of love in this place, and I will not tolerate seeing little children suffer!"

Gai shrieks the word 'love' louder than usual, and Lee jumps into his arms as both of weep of the 'cruelty of this world! – Oh the cruelty!' Tenten and Neji can only stare as a picture of a couple kissing appears on the television.

"Enjoy the movie!"

"What the –?"

A handsome man sticking his tongue down a voluptuous woman's throat is all the sight enough to silence them.

"Your qualifications are?"

Tsunade faces the new nurses in front of her, both pretty young things, one with short black hair and another's a strange shade of violet. Those eyes. I've seen them somewhere. White like falling snow, they are. And her name is familiar too. She takes a huge gulp of sake as one stutters out a reason.

"I-I j-just w-want to be w-with my n-n-nii-san……"

Ahh, so that is where the resemblance is from. The head doctor nods in approval.

"I'll try you out first. And you?"

The brunette is definitely older, and seems to have experience in medicine: 8 years in medical school and 3 years as family doctor to the Shiranui Household. She had resigned barely a month ago. Why? Had something gone wrong?

"Fired?" That must have the reason the she left.

"Oh no!"

The girl blushes and removes a picture of a strange picture of a man with a toothpick in his mouth. Gingerly, she places it on the table, shying herself away from a prying potential employer.

"The heir just proposed, and I just accepted."


	10. 9: Family

9: Family

"NEJI AND TENTEN, SITTING IN A TREE!"

Silence.

"COME ON SASUKE-TEME! FINISH IT!"

There is to be no response from the Uchiha, and Naruto knows it. Get him distracted, and get him away from the visiting doors. Not as easy at it seem, baa-baa, Naruto mentally babbles to Tsunade, and tries for Sasuke's attention again. He notices in dismay that the other boy is looking out the windows with a furious expression and closes his eyes for the impending display of hatred.

It doesn't come.

Instead Sasuke's eyebrows remained furrowed, his hand locked by the fingers in front of his mouth, and Naruto peeks at the center of his interest from the corner of his eye. A pink haired girl chatters aimlessly with another patient; the anger and tension emanating off Uchiha Sasuke is almost thick enough to cut. A smile erupts on Naruto's scarred face.

"YOU LIKE SAKURA-CHAN! YOU LIKE SAKURA CH –"

A man around 25 years old enters quietly; his black ponytail swinging as he walks forward to ask to see his 'ototo', his smooth voice bewitching the girl in front of him and everything stops. Naruto observes the hair, swaying back and forth like a pendulum, as the man comes close, the scars beneath his eyes more obvious than ever. Sasuke takes a deep, slow, even breath. The calm before the storm, his cell-mate muses. Now. I'm. Screwed.

"ITACHI!"

Shit.

The whole facility is out of control at this point, what with Sasuke lunging towards his older clone, cursing more profanities than a normal person should know while swinging punches and kicks towards the mysterious man and Gaara, mouth pulled into a menacing grin, eyes slits of insanity and a hysterical laugh poring out from his throat, advancing upon a terrified blonde woman and a man who Neji presumes to be her brother. He turns to Tenten, knocking on the glass window separating them.

"What's going on?" His voice echoes around his transparent bubble, hurting his ears.

"Visiting day. We get to talk to our family or friends who come and see us; those _brave_ enough to, at least."

He can hear the blatant sarcasm and unconcealed bitterness in her voice.

"Your family. Are they here?"

"Did you hear anything I said yesterday, or were you too busy drooling? I don't have a family. I came from an orphanage, one that was more than glad to see more leave. Now answer your question yourself, you stuck-up priss, since you're so smart."

Neji sees that she is in a foul mood, and leaves her be, but notes with slight amusement that Sasuke has been sedated, and chuckles (to himself of course, because god forbid if anyone found out that Hyugas indeed had emotion, feelings or anything else associated with being a normal, fully functioning human being) as the younger boy, a year his junior, slumps to the floor beside an older version of himself.

"Why are they allowed out?"

Gaara pounces, and begins to maul the blonde woman with extreme pleasure while her companion tries to stop him. Pinky and Blondie run around screaming, though it is practiced fear; they knew it was going to happen. Another nurse rushes to calm them down, and another stands alone, lost and terrified.

"They?"

"Uchiha and Ga – "

"They're not."

The broken doors of both their cells prove this fact.

"Then why is Naruto in Uchiha's cell? I thought this was more of a solitary thing."

"Apparently to stop him from murdering his brother."

Naruto wipes imaginary sweat off his forehead in relief as the older Uchiha brother dumps Sasuke back into the cell, the latter swearing even in his sleep. And the confused nurse turns to face him, her pale face in full view. Tenten mouths a silent 'doesn't work, though', but Neji doesn't see it – or see anything for that matter – because his brain is clouded with red. The girl. The new nurse. It was her.

Why the hell are you here? Why?

Hinata-sama.

Tenten watches as Neji face turns dark, and glances tentatively at the disgruntled nurse he is staring at; a new girl, violet hair, white eyes, panicky, shy and petite… Wait. White eyes? A relative. Oh god. Probably someone who has contributed in his arrival at the hospital or, judging by the way his fingernails are screeching against the glass, even the cause of his troubles. Tenten sighs, the stupidity of some people overwhelming her. Whatwas wrong with people like Itachi, or Kankurou, or Temari? Didn't they know when to give up?

"Why?"

The question is hissed through gritted teeth, the young nurse's face pales in horror and Neji clenches his fists till they hurt.

"Why do you come here? Do you _want _me to kill you?"

And suddenly Hinata's legs betray her as she drops to the ground like a hot potato; a brunette in the cell next to her cousin's waves and motions her to leave and leave quickly, a fellow nurse grabs her quivering hand and attempts to pull her away, but all Hinata can see is Neji, trembling with absolute rage, and that is enough to make heart beat trice as fast.

"God, you stupid girl, move!" Neji's eyes are bulging, almost popping out of his head. Something is happening, something terrible, and Tenten screams louder.

"Don't make me ask again, Hinata-sama." Hinata is still, unmoving, petrified.

"Neji-nii-san… I – "

He snaps. A spark in his head, a pain in his eyes, and a surge of new-old power crackles and fizzles beneath his skin. Neji brings a palm to the glass door and pushes. And all are watching – the visitors, the patients, his cousin, Tenten – and all are stunned as it shatters to pieces.

"_Come one, Neji! Try again! Just one more time! Otou-san believes in you."_

"_Father, my eyes… They hurt…They are burning!"_

"_Please Neji, please! You must try again. If you can grasp this, it will be your doorway to a better life! If my brother, your uncle, were to know of your talent, you may not be sealed!"_

_The four year old cries in pain as chakra boils and bubbles beneath his eyelids, but his father pushes him on, his voice urgent and pleading._

"_Learn the Byakugan, and the Juken will come."_

_As Neji pushes more chakra upwards, he blocks out everything: his father, his surroundings, and the mind-blowing pain. I can do this. I can do this. I will do this. I must do this. _

_For father._

"_Byakugan!"_

_The pain ebbs away, and the boy presses his tiny, splintered hand upon the wooden training post once more. The energy around him is amazing, enormous for a child his age; it is felt by every single Hyuga in a 100 meter radius. Hiashi stands and watches fragments of wood fly into the air. _


	11. 10: Awakenings

10: Awakening

Tenten is awake before dawn.

Morning rituals include brushing her teeth, taking a quick shower and dressing in the standard hospital uniform. _(She's never told anyone this, but she wishes it were pink. Her clothes, that is. She wishes they were soft and pink, like the old qi-paos she wore long ago, in a time before time.) _They are all tasks performed with practiced practicality; her movements rigid, eyes bright and alert.

By the time she's ready and presentable, the hospital's corridors are filled with gentle sunshine, bathing her in warmth and light. She takes the few moments of solitude as an opportunity to walk down the hallways, striding past room after room as their occupants slumber.

1010. Old memories of sunglasses and solemn bugs fill her mind.

1215. There is loud snoring, blonde hair, blue eyes and red blood.

1901. The Sandman, still wafting around in his sleepless world of nightmares.

She's reaching the last few rooms.

2307. She wonders briefly whether the proud Uchiha is still sedated.

7007. Tenten frowns as she passes this door. Had Kiba-kun's sister visited yesterday? She really can't remember, especially after all the drama with –

7030.

_Shattered glass litters the floor, and Neji's eyes roll so far up Tenten's afraid he will burst a blood vessel. The pretty, young nurse – Hinata – begins to sob, just as her older cousin begins to fall. Tenten catches him before he hits the ground, wincing as the thin soles of her slippers are sliced and her feet cut. With a little horror, she notices thick veins protruding from under his skin, stretching out across his temples like a map of flesh and blood. His eyes are shut now. _

"_Neji!"_

"Neji."

Tenten slumps down in front of his door, rubs away the falling tears, and wishes the stupid boy would just wake up.

* * *

Sasuke wakes up at exactly 6:00 am, feeling a little groggy, a bit more tired and a whole hell of a lot pissed.

He can't seem to recall _why _though. Sasuke assumes it has something to do with Itachi. Pain, hate and anger directly correlate to his older brother half the time he bothers to think about the scheming bastard, the other half being devoted to sappy childhood memories that Sasuke really doesn't want to remember but can't get out his head either way. It's all a vicious cycle of nostalgia, loathing and the general feelings of shitty-ness, really.

"Gah, I hate you, you dickhead." Sasuke says in the darkness, to no one in particular.

Itachi doesn't answer him.

* * *

It's noon, and the asylum is coming alive.

Naruto hops around excitedly, a sheet of paper clamped tightly in between his teeth. His attempts to talk at the same time are more idiotic than annoying, but Tsunade tells him to stop all the same.

"What are you, retarded? Hand me that before you poke someone's eye out!"

"Shehpt upht chu stpoopifd bchabah."

Tsunade rolls her eyes, and snatches the paper away, inciting an almost spastic fit of rage from the boy.

"What the hell, you bitch!" Naruto growls, his eyes turning a dangerous shade of crimson. "Give it back!" He snaps at her hand. Tsunade grinds her teeth and uses said hand to whack him over the head.

"Try to control yourself you little prick!"

"What the hell was that for you old hag?!"

They stare each other down. Naruto's eye twitches. She takes it as a sign of victory and gives him a broad grin.

"Fuck you! That was nothing!"

"Nothing? Hoho, on the contrary, I think that was me winning!"

Naruto opens his mouth to say something, but chooses against it. Instead he glances at the limp paper in Tsuande's clenched fist, and _whimpers_. It's a sound that makes her want to wince and/or laugh inappropriately, all at the same time. Stupid fox dumbass for making her feel guilty.

"Kid," Tsunade sighs, mentally registering the very last drop of her patience and civility being used up. "It's a nice…whatever the hell it is, and I know your ego is as big as your brain is tiny –"

"Hey!"

"Just let me hold on to it for a while okay? You were drooling all over it anyway."

The boy gives her the evil eye, before sighing dramatically.

"YOU just don't mess it up, 'kay? It's important."

Tsunade grunts in response, while taking a secret peek at the bloody thing. It's a sketch, meticulously drawn, of two people – one boy and a man to be exact – holding hands. They're in a park, standing next to a swing set, laughing at a private joke. The boy's hair is lightly shaded, his face bright with joy and youth. The man is a bit more reserved, but smiling all the same, with a large scar over the bridge of his nose. Realization hits home faster than a pile of bricks.

"God. GOD. I'm not drunk enough for this."

Naruto looks at her, confused.

"Ne? What's the matter baabaa?"

"Shit. It's already September?"

"It's been for a while. What's wrong?"

"What's WRONG?" Tsunade wants to scream at him. September meant a wide variety of things, each bringing its own set of problems. It meant employers were expecting bonuses. It meant parents and guardians were going to be absolute assholes about release dates (this year would probably be extra irritating thanks to Sabaku's and Uchiha's little stunts).

But worst of all, oh WORST OF ALL, it meant SCHOOL. It meant having to deal with the education of my crazy brats. It meant (expensive) books needed to be bought and (bothersome) lessons had to be planned. And it meant there would be teachers. Psychopathic teachers, just as insane, if not more, than their students. That included a schizophrenic mother hen, a one eyed sleaze ball, and a man who carried around knives for fun.

All under her employment. Tsunade comes close to breaking into tears.

"Baabaa." Naruto drawls, an evil, knowing smirk on his face. "When is Iruka-sensei gonna be here? I want to show him that."

Tsunade says nothing, opting to punch the little sucker in the gut instead.

* * *

_**Because even crazy people need schooling! Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. It may seem a little disconnected, because my writing style has changed a bit. But it's good to be back!**_


	12. 11: Education

**11: Education**

A week passes, and while life proceeds as usual (or as usual as it can be in an asylum), three things of importance occur: first, Hyuga Neji awakens from a three day long coma; second, Inuzuka Kiba is 'cured' and allowed to return to society; and third, schooling begins. For a time, the halls of the Tokyo Mental Facility for Children are fraught with drama and suspense.

Neji awakens to the soft but reassuring tones of his female partner, which is as much as he can say about the other two members of his 'team', who instantaneously burst into tears as his eyes – Tenten notes in relief that they have returned to their normal pale white – flutter tentatively open.

His first word is, 'Gargh.'

His second, 'Glagarah.'

'That would be the morphine kicking in,' is Tenten's reply. 'Just try to ease back into it and don't strain yourself – now, how are you feeling?' (There is another question at the back of her mind, one that goes along the lines of 'What _happened_ three days ago?' or 'How did you _do_ it?')

'U-urgh. A-alright. I'll, uh… live.' Neji mumbles. 'But the last week is uh, a blank. P-people were visiting… and t-then… _nothing_.' Tenten's face twists into a mask of confusion, but her fingers brush against the skin of his hand, and suddenly he's rather thirsty.

'W-water.' he asks.

'Um, please.' he adds.

Dutifully, Lee complies, fetching a glass from across the room in record time (it's actually quite amazing, if Neji must be truthful about it: it's like seeing a green blur whiz from wall to wall – interesting, _most_ interesting –) which Neji downs quite fervently, clenching the cup in his right hand, while Tenten's fingers (calloused from the woodworks, but thin – one could say delicate – as well) continue to sweep across his left, gently nudging the IV needle sticking into his flesh as she goes along. Even as he drains the last drop, however, his throat still seems a little dry.

'S-so. Care to elaborate what happened, w-while I was out.' Neji's intonation is flat, and the question seems more like an instruction than an inquiry.

Tenten, Gai and Lee all look at one another, and say in unison, 'Nothing.'

* * *

The second incident, while no less dramatic, is largely less welcomed as compared to the first – depending on who you ask, of course.

While not exactly prestigious per se, the Inuzuka family was still quite well off, and having recently come into quite a lot of money (with Inuzuka Hana, the oldest child of the family, accepting a job in one of Tokyo's most well-paid veterinarian clinics) decided to finally grant their youngest son the best treatment available in the psychological field – that of a certain Dr. Yuuhei Kurenai.

Yuuhei Kurenai – a legend amongst child psychiatrists, for what seemed to an almost 100% success rate in curing her patients of any ailment – ailments that ranged from life-long phobia to multiple personality disorder to the most severe of psychosis. She attributed her success to a mixture of hypnosis and hallucination (illusions, she called them, allowing the patient to relive their fears and conquer them) inducing medicine, causing much controversy amongst fellow doctors, as well as a hefty starting price.

This however, was not relevant.

What was relevant was that she came, and within the week, had _cured _Kiba.

Which then meant he was leaving.

For good.

* * *

'Go~ddamnit you ass~hole!' Naruto howls from the pavement, as they stand outside the hospital saying goodbye to Kiba. 'Shut the hell up, Naruto, don't pretend you're not gonna fucking miss me,' Kiba chortles under his breath. The younger boy looks tired and pale, but there is a deepness in his gaze, an understanding, that wasn't there before.

It makes Neji feel… sick. Like there's something wrong with him, and there _isn't _with Kiba. Like the other boy is better than him.

'I'm so NOT gonna miss you. NO WAY.' the blond exclaims, but Neji can hear him whimpering silently – can see Sasuke looking despondent off into a corner; Gaara, his hooded eyes darker than usual; Tenten, biting her lip so hard it looks like it might almost bleed. They're losing more than a fellow patient, he realizes. They're losing a friend.

'Bye, Kiba,' Tenten whispers, and her voice trembles.

'See you, Tenten.' he replies, with a small, forced smile – she turns away from him, and is about to hurry back into the building before he grabs her arm and pulls her into a tight embrace. ' 'm gonna miss you, you crazy bitch.'

'Idiot.' she sniffles, turning her head away. Neji watches the whole affair with a sort of perverted distaste, and flinches slightly when Kiba buries his nose into her chestnut-brown hair and inhales.

'Listen to me, Tenten. This is serious shit, 'kay?' he mutters gently as he pulls away to look at her properly, but the undertone of his words is steely and sure.

'It's hard for me to believe that when you put it that way.'

Neji listens more closely.

'Alright, here's the thing. Alright? I've been through a lot of shit this past week, there's no denying that. Kurenai-san is a tough bitch, but she knows what she's doing and she _helped_ me, so don't go hating on her or any crap like that, okay? If you're gonna hate anyone, it's me.'

Kiba gives a short bark of laughter.

'But…but, here's the thing, alright? I learnt some things from her, y'know. Some things I… didn't want to learn. And it wasn't real, y'know? Akamaru. I… made him up.' Kiba's voice is unsure and maybe the slightest bit sad, but strengthens as he goes on. 'I made him up. I was fucked up and I made everything up because I needed someone to _be _there for me. Hell, I'm still _fucked up, _okay. And I think I can be cool with that now. But Tenten – '

Kiba grasps her by the shoulders, and looks her in the eyes.

'You're not. You can get out of here. You don't have to play around with knives and throw them at whoever the fuck you feel like. You've lucky enough to have a head screwed onto your shoulders, 'cept when you're feeling stubborn, 'f course, which is, y'know, a lot. But.. but…you don't need a doctor to tell you to _stop_.'

Tenten's reply is swift and vicious.

'I don't_ need _anything, Kiba. I do what I want.'

Kiba laughs again. 'Ah, I know. That's why you're always getting into trouble. But… think of this, 'kay? You're seventeen in March. Get out, and stay out for another year and – hey, you're free. Can do whatever the hell you want with tree branches or pointy metal, so long as no one gets hurt. The time's coming, Tenten. It's catching up fast. Soon 'nough it'll be five years here, and boom! Look at you, you're a permanent member of society's most special club. The insane one. There's no going back after that – Gaara and Naruto are proof of that. You've gotta get out.'

Tenten looks at the boy as if he's grown another head. Neji somewhat feels the same, simply because Inuzuka Kiba has said something relatively _mature _and _coherent_ (except for the five years bit – he doesn't understand that – ).

'And if you need any help doing that,' Kiba's smile is warm, reassuring and infuriating (for the oddest reasons) for Neji to look at. 'I'll be there.'

With that promise and a few more shouted goodbyes, Inuzuka Kiba is driven away.

Leaving only Neji as he watches Tenten, with stars and a thousand possibilities in her eyes.

It makes him feel.. . _sick.

* * *

_Unlike the previous two occurrences, the third event creeps up upon the hospital with a kind of stealth that is almost admirable, and before Neji knows it, he is awake at 6:30 a.m. on a Monday morning, ready to attend his last year of high school.

In an asylum.

_Hmm._

It really isn't like Neji imagines it would be (but then again, his life seems to be following down a similar track of unexpectedness), but not far stretch from what his own admittedly rather limited imagination as well – there is a teacher's desk, there are tables, there are chairs, and a rather nondescript blackboard hanging at the front of the classroom.

The only difference, it seems, are the students.

For one thing, there is an uniform, which his classmates (of course) have neglected to wear. Glancing down at his own uncomfortable combination of black slacks, blue sandals and grey turtleneck (draped a khaki brown vest), he makes a mental note to wear more familiar clothing on Tuesday. Naruto, in his bright orange pants and blinding white straightjacket, snerks rudely from behind his desk.

Sai (a sufferer of what could literally classified as emotional retardation, Sumihake Sai had the interpersonal and social skills of a kitchen utensil, only worse) diligently ticks names of the class register, calling each person by a personalized nickname: Sandy Claws, White Eyes, Buns, and Tiny (Naruto bristles at the comment, but refuses to explain further when asked).

'The nurses are joining us?' Neji murmurs to Tenten under his breath as Pinky and Blondie saunter into the room 10 minutes late, looking strangely out of place and yet completely relaxed out of hospital uniform, donning bright colored tank tops and low riding skinny jeans instead.

'Only on Mondays and Fridays,' Tenten drawls lazily back, as she idly carves patterns into the table – marked clearly as _her _table, whittled away as it is with curling, swirling patterns that Neji finds hard to look at. 'Other times they're doing training. Nurse stuff. Lee would be here too, but he doesn't take this class.'

'He doesn't take Preliminary English?'

Tenten scrunches up her nose, as though he has done something to offend her personally.

'Languages are hard for Lee, okay? He's dyslexic – even worse than Naruto is – and barely passes Japanese as it is. Hell, that's the reason he's here – he flunked out of every public school in this district, and his parents are too poor to pay for the preppy stuff.'

Her nose scrunches up even further, and Neji thinks that it would be really nice to listen to the words floating around his head, because they sounds important, if only the speaker of said words wasn't so _cute._

' – which I think is stupid because he makes up with his crazy kung-fu skills. So he goes for dojo lessons for first period instead, with Gai. And are you even listening to me?'

Neji nods, and deflects the question with an observation.

'I noticed that you haven't been carrying so many knives around with you lately,' he mentions lightly, directing his gaze the solitary one that she twirls between her fingers, as opposed to the ten or so she normally has at hand.

Tenten blushes.

'What's it to you.'

'Are you actually listening to what Inuzuka told you?' To his surprise, he sounds angrier than he expected. There is a hostility in his voice, something accusatory and maybe just a little unfamiliar to him (_jealous?_ – the little voice within his head cackles).

Tenten looks shocked at first, then murderous, then coolly angry as she gives him a fierce glare.

'That's none of your goddamn business in the first place, Hyuga.' she hisses, and says nothing more to him even after the teacher arrives.

* * *

Which, as it happens, is nearly two hours later.

While Neji and Tenten sit in virtual silence, the class around them sit (jump, scream, laugh) through Preliminary English raucously, with many an argument shouted and paper plane thrown before a man with a neatly tied back ponytail, tanned skin and a large scar can burst through the doors dragging in what appears to be (and he swears, this place is getting stranger by the minute) a man wearing a cloth mask around the lower half of his face, his left eye concealed by a large bandanna, by the ear, who – as it turns out – is later revealed to be their English teacher.

'GODDAMNIT HATAKE KAKASHI I SWEAR TO THE LORD IF YOU SHOW UP TWO HOURS LATE FOR ANOTHER CLASS I WILL RIP YOUR GENITALS FROM YOUR BODY AND SUBSEQUENTLY FEED THEM TO THE DOG, DO YOU HEAR ME.' the scary, tanned man bellows.

The class goes quiet immediately, the masked man (presumably Hatake-sensei) quivers in fear, and Naruto begins to giggle.

'You're so FUNNY, Iruka-sensei!' There is absolute silence for a minute. Neji begins to fear for his life (considering his sanity is kind of a lost cause, by now).

Then –

'Naruto-kun! You've grown so tall this summer!'

It's as though a switched has been flipped, and the man quickly runs up to give the blonde a gentle, loving embrace. 'Oh dear,' he smiles tenderly, and Naruto practically _melts _beneath the affection. 'I must have given your friends a rather poor first impression!'

Walking to front of the class, the man smoothly picks up a piece of chalk, writing down a few characters in neat block writing. 'My name is Umino Iruka, but you can call me Iruka-sensei! I teach Preliminary and Advanced Japanese, as well as Home Economics, so I'll expect most of you will be seeing me some time during the day. Today will just be, hmm… an orientation, let's say, of sorts, where you'll be introduced to the class structure and subjects by your homeroom teacher, which, unfortunately enough, I am not.' he rambles off in one breath, and Neji is beginning to see where Naruto learnt his infamous communication skills from.

And then –

'HOWEVER, this DESPICABLE EXCUSE OF A HUMAN BEING standing behind me is, and for that, I apologize.' Iruka-sensei smiles, then turns maliciously towards Kakashi-sensei. 'Kakashi, introduce yourself.'

With that, Kakashi-sensei walks (slinks) forward.

'Um, yo. I'm Hatake Kakashi. I…uh, teach English. If you're wondering, my favorite hobbies and foods are none of your business. And I like dogs.'

Iruka-sensei exhales sharply. Neji sighs and clunks his head against the table.

Tenten still isn't talking to him.

* * *

The rest of the day goes by quite uneventfully. The classes are not widely varied, but include the basics – Mathematics (their teacher, they are told, will arrive tomorrow – this news causes a rather incendiary reaction in Blondie, although he cannot imagine why), Sciences (the teacher is an pale, unassuming man with glittering gold eyes – and, much to his annoyance – favors Uchiha over every other student) and Arts. The Arts in particular are taught by a handsome, roguish teacher with a thoughtful gaze, as well as a pair of customized knuckle blades he gleefully shows the students.

'So…' he mentions offhandedly as they are painting in class. 'Is Yuuhei-san gonna be dropping by any time soon?'

Tenten smiles knowingly and replies, no, I'm sorry, you just missed her – and the man sighs heavily before complimenting Sai for his excellent use of Japanese Ink in traditional painting.

'Is there something going on between Yuuhei-san and Asuma-sensei?' he asks cautiously while Tenten colors her dragons in vibrant blues, pinks and green.

'Stop butting the hell in.' is her sole reply.

Neji nearly clunks his head onto the table again, then remembers there is paint on it.

* * *

It is nearly the end of the day, and Neji is at his wits end. He decides if Tenten will not talk to him, he will have to (somehow) force her too.

'Tenten –' he calls as she marches out of Art, and she turns to face him. Her eyes are full of spite and sadness.

'Shut up, okay, Neji? First you go around dissing my friends, then you call me out on something that isn't your business. Alright? I'm sick and tired of people _judging _me.'

'I'm sorry,' he blurts out, before his mind can process anything else.

'And you – wait. What?'

'I'm so sorry for what I said. I was being childish. And silly. What Kiba said to you was his and your business. I should never have listened in, so please don't ignore me. Please… talk to me.' his words sound tacky in his own mouth, and they roll off his tongue uneasily, but sincerely.

And at that, she laughs. It's the sweetest sound he's ever heard.

'Oh, you're such an IDIOT, Neji. Really.' her gaze softens, and she puts a warm, soft hand on his shoulder. 'If anyone should say sorry it's me, I mean, I've been such a bitc – '

Tenten stops short and looks past his head, behind him. Instinctively, he turns as well.

A man, the unassuming Sciences teacher, is pacing up towards them. From up close, his skin looks even paler – unhealthy almost, and definitely unearthly, his eyes glinting like embers of a fire, frantic and dangerous. Black hair drapes down like a curtain behind him, and suddenly, inexplicably – Neji is afraid.

'S-sensei,' Tenten stutters out when he reaches them, so close that they are almost touching. 'I-I, uh, Neji – '

He feels a slippery, cold hand reach out and grasp him by the jaw, softly and menacingly.

'Hyuga Neji-kun,' the man mutters, in a low, smooth voice. 'Show me your _eyes_.'

* * *

_'Who did this.' _

_His voice is flat and angrier than it had ever been. She sits beside him, carefully assessing his wounds. Her own injuries, while not as severe, can be seen through the pristine white bandages wrapped around her torso. For second, he fears – was she not involved in the fighting as well? Then, a fierce surge of pride – Gai-sensei told me she took down ten Sound ninja before she was knocked out. Then he surveys her tired expression, strands emerging messily from her normally impeccable buns as she rubs at the red, raw marks running along her arm – from an enemy's kunai, no doubt. The fact that they put a single mar on her body is enough to jolt him back to anger again._

_The village lies in ruins, seemingly trampled a pair of gargantuan snakes, as the reports claim. He sits in his hospital, gripping the sheets till his knuckles go white and gritting his teeth, ignoring the pain in his lower jaw and ribs. Rubbing her thumb over his bandaged fists, she answers him._

_'A traitor of the village.' she says._

_'__Orochimaru.'

* * *

_**A/N: Wow. It's been a while huh? This a seriously long chapter, with a lot of twists and turns, so prepare to be shocked guys! Also, free cookies for whoever can guess who the Math teacher is. (I swear there IS a plot. This first chapter is the first step in getting there, that's all) REVIEW.  
**


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